The Epiphany of the Lord

Today we honor the revelation of Jesus Christ to the nations by the light of the star of Bethlehem. The Wise Men arrive and present to the Infant Jesus their gifts of gold, frankincense and Myrrh.

The feast of the Epiphany of the Lord is liturgically (within Church Liturgy/ Mass) celebrated on the Sunday between January 2nd-8th. It is typically the second Sunday following Christmas. The traditional date before being solemnized with a Sunday feast is January 6th, known as “Little Christmas” in some cultures. The vigil or eve of the traditional feast of Epiphany is known as TwelfthNight because it is the 12th day of Christmas. It is this day that holds the solemnity that Christmas Day does in some cultures. Epiphany is the celebration of the revelation of God, born in Bethlehem. 

The most popular custom for Epiphany is house blessing. This is because Jesus revealed Himself to the nations by the Star and all came to worship Him from shepherds to Kings. By the Wise Men visiting Jesus’ home we ask them to visit ours and implore Christ’s blessing. Each year the blessing is the same except the last two digits written in the inscription correspond with the year. It’s also customary on this day to proclaim the upcoming Holy Days of the year. Private devotions related to today’s feast are the praying of the Rosary (the Joyful mysteries which surround the events of Christ’s Birth. The Visit of the Magi can be added on the the Third Joyful Mystery) and the Seven Joys of Mary (the Fourth Joy being the Visit of the Wise Men).

Many Christmas songs focus on the visit of the Three Wise Men. While there’s the obvious “We Three Kings” there’s also “The First Noel” and “What Child is This?” 

The Epiphany Simplified

About Epiphany

Epiphany Customs

From the revelations of Christ to St. Gertrude: With resignation to and confidence in the Will of God and to gain better resignation and confidence: Offer Christ’s Passion, Humanity, Soul and Divinity and humankind’s sins, imperfections, negligences, inquietudes, pretend sanctity, impurity, falsehood and insubordination for the Glory of God, Church and Salvation of Souls with the offerings of the Wise Men.

Stations of the Crib (Now that it is the Christmas season, “O come, O come Emmanuel” can be replaced with a Christmas song.) 

Relics of the Wise Men

The Epiphany for Kids

The King’s Arrive (Movie Clip)

Artwork of the Epiphany

 More Artwork

 A Visionary Witnesses the Epiphany Bk 4 Ch 6 

 Another Vision Chapter 11 

Vegan King Cake Recipe (The Feast of Epiphany ushers in the Carnival season which continues until Mardi Gras.) 

As the Christmas season is still celebrated today it is a good day to watch Christmas movies. The best Christmas films would be any that depict the Birth and Life of Christ. The Little Drummer Boy, The Little Drummer Boy Book II, Nestor, the Long Eared Christmas Donkey and The Star are fitting. There’s also “The Fourth Wise Man.” There’s also Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas that has a segment called “The Gift of the Magi.” The 2023 Disney movie “Wish”, which I loved immediately has the Stars as an important role and we can reflect on the Star of Bethlehem, its purpose and the purpose of all Creation which draws mankind to Jesus Christ the Newborn King! 

Three Kings Day Around the World

(Taken From The Encyclopedia of Christmas and New Year)

Cakes are made to honor the Wise Men and the first 2 made to honor God and the Blessed Virgin are given to the poor. Star boys go door to door performing the Visit of the Wise Men in exchange for alms for charity. 

According to Lebanese folklore, the trees still bow down at midnight on Epiphany Eve. In past times, children who lived in the cold, mountainous regions of Lebanon would venture forth the next morning looking for brush marks in the snow. These disturbances revealed where the crowns of trees had grazed the ground.

Ethiopia celebrates the Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord in a twofold feast called Timkat, which translates to Baptism. This feast is marked with the Twelfthnight Customs observed in many cultures as well as the washing of white robes and performance of Baptisms. The Tabot, a symbolic replica of the Ark of the Covenant is carried in procession to signify the revelation of Christ as Messiah.

Inspired by this event of Christ’s Baptism, Syrian folk legends declared that the gates of heaven open each year on Epiphany eve, making it a night of mystical power and unlooked-for miracles. What's more, God blesses the especially devout with miracles of increase on this evening. Thus, the truly good might wake to find that a half-empty jug of wine is now brimming, or a pot of dough is now filled to overflowing. One old superstition advises housewives to push a silver coin into a small lump of dough, tuck it inside a towel and tie it to a tree on Epiphany eve. Overnight the dough becomes leaven. Families keep the miracle dough throughout the year. Water is also splashed about due to the blessing of waters today.

Christmas Decorations Note: Folk custom says it is unlucky to leave Christmas decorations up past Twelfthnight but considering the Epiphany is the actual feast day and the Church tends to keep decor up until the Baptism of the Lord it’s okay to leave it up until the latter. January 6th is newly called National Take Down Your Christmas Tree Day. The founder of the day Jace Shoemaker-Galloway recommends making an event of it with family and friends. If not completed on January 5th or 6th or when the Church celebrates (the Sunday between January 2nd-8th) then it’s popular custom to leave it up until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and if not then, the Feast of the Presentation. Christmas decorations should stay up through the Epiphany but at least the Octave Day of Christmas, January 1st. I also was given custody of the statue of the infant Jesus from my former parish as they were getting a new one. I have this image laid in a small pile of faux snow and I have the star from my Christmas tree above Jesus and I have a candle with a Christmas ribbon at his feet. Jesus laying in the fireplace in the snow represents the gentleness and poverty in which He came to us. The star of the Christmas tree is the star of Bethlehem and the candle is to signify the Baby Jesus’ presence, living and dwelling among us. EMMANUEL. Regardless when the outer signs of Christmas come down, the Infant Jesus should live in our hearts always. In 2024 I began taking everything down on Twelfthnight and will finish on the traditional feast of the Epiphany. I will leave up my nativity scenes until the day following Christ’s Baptism and my home altar will retain some Christmas elements until February 3rd.